[pprropeciaaa]

Can anybody tell me about the US Postal System and their charge of receive? I mean if i send a big heavy package to the US, the receipient would be charged a lot? or it depends on what in the box?

From what I have read - gifts of up to $100 in value are allowed without paying a customs fee.

[cakaeroryrere]

Bigbubba, the higher value of the package you write down, the more your girlfriend has to pay to get it. It does not matter what the real value is.

Thailand post is notorious for opening packages from abroad and take whatever they like and repack them. Sometimes no one can tell that the package was opened because they seal it back without a trace. Don't get me wrong. I did not want to scare you with this story because it does not happen all the times.

[tevyrefficy]

Levi's 501's and Calvin Klein Jeans Damn Paul, 501s might be OK but them others have the fly zipper on the side don't they?

I do intend on leaving an ATM card with her next month and that will solve th problem. Thats a smart guy, you could just put in the mail and mail the card and then give her the pin in a letter or online when you are chatting and she could have it in her care when you finally get here, might even save you some air fare too.

[tevyrefficy]

Why, that means westernizing, and if she learns english you would have to listen to her.

[Figelac]

I urge caution bigbubba. This could cause you a lot of problems. Many families think they have won the lottery when a daughter finds a Farang suitor and supplying an ATM card will confirm that. She will be expected to share her good fortune with her relatives, and may find herself under a lot of pressure to give them money, and in 99% of cases the family comes first.

Sound so insulting.!?
Thailand is like every developing country on this planet earth where most people have been looking forward to an opportunity to live a better life. Excessive spending could happen occasionally to everyone and you can always limit the sum of money put in the ATM’s account to avoid that. Above all, try your best to create understanding about everything if she is your real soul mate.

[ultimda horaf]

Thanks to all for the informative comments. I had forgotten about the flat rate box, thanks. I used to get those when I worked in Iraq. A dear friend would ocassionally send me something to quench my thirst, wink wink. And the clothes I sent were actually made in Sri Lanka, but I catch your drift. My mistake was putting a declared value of $400 on the customs form. I do intend on leaving an ATM card with her next month and that will solve th problem.

[Eagevawax]

I believe that if you knowingly give someone your pin and allow them to use your card (or even if you have your pin stored with the card and someone steals it) you are up the creek without a paddle legally in regard to getting any money back that they take out without your "permission", but I highly doubt it is illegal. Unless of course you open up accounts and sell them to some unsavory types to use for fraudulent purposes. That, of course would be illegal.

[StitlyDute]

Well, it's not always that way. It depends on what they see on the scanner and the moral of the persons who see them. Packages sent to me (from a farang) had never been opened before until last time.

[Poohoppesmase]

... letting your girl access to your ATM or bank account isn't a bad thing...

In the law's eyes it is a bad thing, it is illegal, fraud can be punishable with a prison sentence.

[pprropeciaaa]

Weight and size of the package don't matter?

No - only that the postage will be more for you to send the package.

[domeffire]

Thanks to all for the informative comments. I had I do intend on leaving an ATM card with her next month and that will solve th problem.

I urge caution bigbubba. This could cause you a lot of problems. Many families think they have won the lottery when a daughter finds a Farang suitor and supplying an ATM card will confirm that. She will be expected to share her good fortune with her relatives, and may find herself under a lot of pressure to give them money, and in 99% of cases the family comes first.

[tevyrefficy]

Look, to me it's VERY cut and dry. You send a package to your lady friend. It's addressed in English, likely with a US stamp and US return address. That might as well have a "charge me more" sign on it. It's just the way it is in Thailand, especially the rural part - the postman sees that it's from a farang, and thinks "you can afford to give me a little something extra" and comes up with a "fee". You just need to let it slide and treat it as a cost of sending a package. It's no different than the special 200 baht fines on some highways if they catch a foreigner driving, or how ice to a foreigner's house somehow costs more than normal, or how government fees that are free need special fees paid if it's for a farang... the attitude is not malicious, it's actually quite socialist in a way - each pays based on his perceived ability to pay. That's why shopkeepers in tourist areas don't see it as ripping you off when they double the price based on you being white - they see it as being a fair price for someone of your means. Most people don't take it that way, but that's how they see it.

Boy am I glad I read this thread again, I get so much good info from you long term resident folks so I know what to look for while living here, I will be sure to see if they ever try to pull that on me.
I have only lived here for 9 years and have only gotten maybe 50 or 60 packages from my friends and online orders and so now I will be watching to see if they ever try that on me, but you did say they don't do that in the urban areas only rural, so I am glad I live in Nongua, thats just short of Tha Phun about 25 km from Lom Sak, do you think I am safe here, where do you live and how long have you lived here?

[maks_holi]

Look, to me it's VERY cut and dry. You send a package to your lady friend. It's addressed in English, likely with a US stamp and US return address. That might as well have a "charge me more" sign on it. It's just the way it is in Thailand, especially the rural part - the postman sees that it's from a farang, and thinks "you can afford to give me a little something extra" and comes up with a "fee". You just need to let it slide and treat it as a cost of sending a package. It's no different than the special 200 baht fines on some highways if they catch a foreigner driving, or how ice to a foreigner's house somehow costs more than normal, or how government fees that are free need special fees paid if it's for a farang... the attitude is not malicious, it's actually quite socialist in a way - each pays based on his perceived ability to pay. That's why shopkeepers in tourist areas don't see it as ripping you off when they double the price based on you being white - they see it as being a fair price for someone of your means. Most people don't take it that way, but that's how they see it.

[Z3s9vQZj]

We had a large package of Stinky Fish from Thailand opened by the US Customs here. I bet they won't open any more to us in the future!

[maks_holi]

Boy am I glad I read this thread again, I get so much good info from you long term resident folks so I know what to look for while living here, I will be sure to see if they ever try to pull that on me.
I have only lived here for 9 years and have only gotten maybe 50 or 60 packages from my friends and online orders and so now I will be watching to see if they ever try that on me, but you did say they don't do that in the urban areas only rural, so I am glad I live in Nongua, thats just short of Tha Phun about 25 km from Lom Sak, do you think I am safe here, where do you live and how long have you lived here?

thanks, there was a sarcasm shortage but not anymore thanks to your post!

But seriously, before you get too condescending, you might like to know I lived in Thailand for longer than you have. I don't live there now, but I lived in Surin for 5 years and Si Racha for 5 years. You don't have a monopoly on knowledge. I was just stating what has happened to me and people I know (LOTS of them) in the Kingdom. Can you honestly say you've never been overcharged for services in 9 years there? I highly doubt it. Whenever I drive from Rayong to Surin, 9 times out of 10 I get stopped and have to offer "ticket" money. I've been overcharged for cement, ice, tiles, i could go on. Shirts that are 100 baht for thais are 150 for me. As I explained, nothing malicious, just normal way of life. I think your desire to be confrontational causes you to conveniently forget the way life is in LOS. I refuse to believe anyone could live in a rural part of Thailand and have never seen it as you claim not to.

[ultimda horaf]

Bigbubba, the higher value of the package you write down, the more your girlfriend has to pay to get it. It does not matter what the real value is.

Thailand post is notorious for opening packages from abroad and take whatever they like and repack them. Sometimes no one can tell that the package was opened because they seal it back without a trace. Don't get me wrong. I did not want to scare you with this story because it does not happen all the times.

I would never send anything of great value in a package to any third world country. No offense intended here, would economically challenged be more PC?

[StitlyDute]

From what I have read - gifts of up to $100 in value are allowed without paying a customs fee.

Weight and size of the package don't matter?

[VipInoLo]

I'm not into sending money, Unless it is towards an education for her to attend English classes.

[StitlyDute]

Last year, my bf sent me stuff. I had a notice telling me to go pick it up at the local post office. I did and i had to pay about 500 hundred to get the package. I asked them why I had to pay for it while i didn't for the previous packages sent to me. They said they were some items in the package that had to do with the tax/duty thing. Apparently, DVDs. I got pissed when i saw a big red sign on the package saying "Opened for Examination by XXXX Department".

By the way, letting your girl access to your ATM or bank account isn't a bad thing as long as you believe your trust wouldn't be mistreated.

When i'm married, i won't keep my husband's ATM or credit card but i'll need to know every action made in the account and what they are for.

[tevyrefficy]

I have had lots of stuff sent over by post and some does take a month and some a week, but have never lost anything coming here, I have lost things local in USA and from US to Mexico tho.
I have anything I need and can not buy here such as suppliants and some meds that are not available here, do you believe that they do not anymore import Prep H which is made with banana oil and switched to a corticosteroid from England, If you do not want all your meds to contain steroids of some kind or antibiotics then you will be doing a lot of online buying, you can not even buy a nasal spry such as AFRIN but will have to use nasacort or some other name but will contain a corticosteroid.
I went to my doc the other day with Flu, a Viral infection because my wife would not shut up and would not believe me that he could not cure a virus, when asked he did tell her that there was nothing he could do to clear a virus but reduce the fever, he checked my lungs for pneumonia and found them clear gave me 5 packs of drugs, I got them home looked up on GOOGLE some I didn't recognize the brand name and 1 was paracetamol which I kept for fever but I was already taking TYLENOL and the other 4 were antibiotics of the same class and use as Ciprofloaxin 500 which can be bought over the counter here as ciprobayer or as a generic for 1/10 the price of cipro there, which I threw in the trash.
But I have already had some guys I know that have opened special savings accts with a ATM card and just tell her how much to dray and top it up with that amount every so often and it has worked fine and there is no law again it as it is your card and your money and you can be advised by the bank but they can not make you do anything except refuse to open an account for you to use for that ise, but you do not have to tell em either.
But if you are going to be moving her to live anyway you will need an account for visa uses as they want to see where money is brought in and see where it is put and where from, even tho I have enough income I was forced to open an account and show every year at extension renewal time the book with deposits and withdraws for our normal living expenses, so you might open an account in your name as you will have to someday, and make your deposits to that account and let her use the card, but do not make huge deposits until later but a few K a month will not hurt. Will look better for you at Immigration time and will serve her needs and kill 2 birds with one deposit.
There was a GI on here a few years back that had met a girl here and wanted to deposit in her account, but didn't want to pay the transfer fees., so he made a deal with me and he put a check in my bank there then when I made my monthly transfer I just added the amount of his cash to mine at no extra, it only costs me 30 baht a transfer from there to here anyway, I would get the money to her account in a bank in the south thru a 30 baht bank transfer
you might try something like that thru Richard as seems to me he has that kind of a service now, and even if you did trust and want me to do it I am not physically able at times to get on my scoot and go to the bank and do stuff as sometimes a week or 2 at a time I can not leave my house now.